The Japan International Cooperation Agency advised the Philippine government to strengthen rainwater drainage systems, develop upland communities, and integrate sediment and runoff dynamics into policy and planning as it released a study that said that the Pampanga River, Pasig-Marikina River, and Laguna Lake basins are at risk of extreme climate events such as flooding and drought.
More extreme rainfall and prolonged dry spells are projected to hit the Pampanga River Basin, raising the likelihood of more severe flooding and droughts in nearby communities, the JICA research conducted from 2021 to 2025 said.
The Pasig-Marikina River and Laguna Lake basins, on the other hand, will experience more severe flooding and increased sediment inflow, potentially inundating lakeshore communities and degrading water quality.
“The report recommends updating land use and infrastructure plans based on future climate projections to reduce the risks associated with future flood and drought events, and promoting climate-responsive watershed planning and management,” the agency said in a statement.
JICA’s research was undertaken under its Hybrid Water-Related Disaster Risk Assessment and Policy Development Project. It spanned more than four years and involved data collection, the development of an assessment model integrating climate, hydrological, agricultural, and socioeconomic systems, and the formulation of policy recommendations.
In 2024, the Philippines ranked the seventh most affected country by extreme weather events, according to the Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026 by nongovernment development and environmental organization Germanwatch.
It may take some time before other areas in the country to get the same kind of scientific studies on the vulnerability of their river and lake basins, but we have to better informed and prepared when it comes to extreme climate events, particularly floods and droughts, which are expected to become even more common as the planet warms further. Climate responsive and science-based watershed planning and management must be a priority, and our towns and cities that are the most vulnerable have to arm themselves with the best information available so they can make the right decisions and long term plans.*
